High School Sports

Team effort sparks V.S. Central

Offense, defense click in win over Hicksville

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See more photos from the game here.

From the outset, it looked like it was going to be a good day for Valley Stream Central.

On the first play from scrimmage last Saturday, Eagles defenders swarmed Hicksville’s quarterback, then went on to keep the visitors off the board for all 48 minutes. Central’s offense wasn’t too shabby either, putting the ball in the end zone four times as the Eagles (2-3) defeated the winless Comets, 27-0, in a Conference I game at Firemen’s Field.

After a scoreless first quarter in which the teams traded interceptions, Central picked it up in the second. The Eagles converted a key fourth down, and a 17-yard gain by wide receiver Chad Blaize got them to the 1 yard line. Running back Deshawn Newton then scored his first of three touchdowns.

On the next possession, Blaize again got the Eagles within feet of the end zone with a 25-yard pick up. After Newton scooted in, quarterback Vito Friscia took the ball in himself to tack on two extra points.

With time running out in the half, Blaize make the big play again, getting the Eagles to the Hicksville 3. Central took two timeouts before Newton made his third dash into the end zone. A missed two-point conversion sent the game to halftime with the Eagles up 20-0.

In the third quarter, a holding penalty negated a nice gain by Friscia and set up a third and long for the Eagles. But Friscia, in his first year on varsity, found the hands of Blaize who then took advantage of some good blocking by Stephen Falana to score Central’s fourth and final touchdown. 

Central coach Frank Chimenti said injuries to starting running back Laton Butler (toe) and receiver Louis Ludwig (ankle) forced him to use Blaize, normally a cornerback, and Newton, a tailback, more on offense. 

The move paid off. “I thought Chad Blaize on the perimeter made a couple of nice plays,” Chimenti said. “He really set the tone.”

The coach noted that Newton fits in well with the team’s offensive strategy. “We’re a run first team all the way,” said Chimenti, who said that 75 to 80 percent of plays are on the ground. “In high school football, it’s all about moving the chains, getting first downs.”

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